Sometimes, You Just Don't Have a Choice
by ThanksHerman
Summary: Hermione has to make a decision. One that will do nothing but hurt her, in her opinion. But sometimes you just don't have a choice. T for now, but may be changed to M later.
1. Chapter 1

Hermione shut the door, and leaned against it. She was home again from another exhausting day at work. She closed her eyes for a moment and just breathed in and out before standing up straight and walking into the kitchen. As she stepped over to the fridge to pull out food for dinner, she pressed the blinking button on her answering machine. It beeped, then Harry's voice began to speak.

"Hermione, it's Harry," he had recorded. "I know you didn't want to hear from us, not after what happened to you and Ron. But you need to get to the Burrow now. Please come. You know I wouldn't ask you if this wasn't important. At six o'clock, you can come over. If you aren't here by six thirty, I'm Flooing to your house and taking you by force. See you then."

Hermione looked at the clock. It was five thirty. She knew that Harry wouldn't try and kidnap her if it wasn't important. Guess that it was McDonalds for dinner again. Hermione took out her wand, sent a Patronus to Harry to tell him of her plans, then got back in the car.

* * *

"I'm here!" Hermione called out. She heard people running to the long, winding staircase in the Burrow, the old house she had come to know as her home. Harry's head popped into view first, followed by Molly, Ginny, and George. Molly immediately came running down the stairs and engulfed Hermione in a large hug.

"Good morning, dear. You look a bit hungry, do you want some food?" Molly asked. Hermione shook her head, but Molly continued, "None of that, here, I'll go get you tea. And maybe some chips, do you want chips?" Without waiting for an answer, she bustled off to get Hermione some food. Hermione sighed, and as she did, she noticed her best friend leaning against the wall. She walked over and gave him a huge hug. Harry pulled away for a minute and put a hand through his hair.

"We really need to talk to you. Everyone's upstairs. Molly will bring the tea up, but this is a conversation we need to have now," Harry told her. Hermione looked into his eyes. She could see the urgency in them, so she nodded. He took her hand and led her up to Ron's bedroom on the top floor.

Hermione walked into the room, then gasped internally, surprised at how many people were crammed into the tiny bedroom. Ron, his girlfriend Lavender, Remus, Tonks, Kingsley, Arthur, Ginny, Fred, George, Luna, and Ginny were all squished together in the tight space, leaving two chairs for herself and Harry. She sank down in one of them, noting her friends' solemn faces and wondering what was about to happen.

They sat in silence for a minute, then Kingsley cleared his throat. "Hermione, I have some bad news. Unfortunately, before Pius Thicknesse was killed, he was given the instructions by Voldemort to decree a new law. This law only effects Muggleborns between the ages of 17 and 30. At the time the law was passed, you were 17 years of age." She nodded. "Well, this law states that you must marry a man of the Ministry's choosing- a pureblood man. If you do not, your wand must be snapped, you will be Obliviated, and you must return to the Muggle world."

Hermione thought for a second. Everyone was staring at her anxiously, which means that they all knew about it beforehand. To Hermione, that made sense; no one else was effected by the law. It was just her.

She cleared her throat, then replied, "Who am I paired with?"

Kingsley smiled, though not in happiness. "The Ministry, in order to make it seem like there was a choice, gives you three potential pureblood partners. You have to pick out of the three."

Hermione groaned. "Typical Ministry. Trying to make like their decision was your idea."

Kinsley continued, "Keep in mind that this list was made before the war was ended, and your choices have not changed." Hermione nodded as Kingsley pulled out a piece of parchment. He read, "Your choices, as decreed by the Ministry, are Sirius Orion Black, Draco Axabras Malfoy, and Bartemius Oswald Crouch, Jr." He breathed out quickly. "I'm sorry, Hermione. But this is the choice you have to make."


	2. Chapter 2

Hermione quickly jumped up from her chair and ran out of her ex-boyfriend's bedroom. She walked into the bathroom, locked the door, and slid down onto the floor, leaning against the wall. There, she knew that she would be able to think.

Draco, Sirius, or Barty Crouch, Jr. What a decision, she thought. Two were Death Eaters, which Hermione assumed was why Kingsley made it known to her that the decision was made before the war was over. Two were much older than her, and the one her age wasn't anything she wanted to touch with a ten foot pole.

Being Hermione, she decided to look at it all logically. She started with Draco, the easiest. He was a coward, a bully, and a racist who despised Mudbloods and gingers. She knew that she wanted nothing to do with him.

Then, came the harder choice. Hermione had never wanted to marry into a Death Eater family, especially one as corrupt as the Crouches. However, Sirius was her best friend's godfather. That would just be too… too…

"Too weird," she spoke aloud. No, she couldn't marry Sirius. That would be a worse fate.

She took her hair out of the ponytail it was currently in and shook her head. That was it, then. She was going to marry Barty Crouch Jr. Her old teacher, the Death Eater, the one who made her best friend's life a living hell.

Well, she supposed, what else could she do? With that mindset, she got up and walked back into Ron's room. Everyone was sitting around talking, and paid no attention to her. The first to notice her arrival was Harry, who trailed off the end of his sentence to Tonks. Slowly, everyone began to notice her.

"I've made my decision," she announced. With that, any quiet murmurings were hushed immediately, as all waited to hear what Hermione had decided.

She took a moment to breathe in then, then began. "Sirius, you're Harry's godfather. I'm sure that you are a fantastic person, but I just can't do that."

Sirius nodded, then began, "I understand. You are a spectacular witch, but ever since I found out, I had been praying that wouldn't happen. You are like my daughter, Hermione." Hermione nodded, then ran into his arms. He had never said anything of the sort before, and probably would never do so again. They both knew this, as an understanding look passed between the two when she pulled away.

Harry smiled at the two of them, but asked, "Sorry to butt in, but does that mean you are choosing Draco?"

Hermione sighed. "Barty is a madman, a Death Eater, and twice my age. Draco bullied me and my friends all throughout our years at Hogwarts- of course until he needed me. Barty would be a terrible husband, but I would rather marry him than Draco. I don't know that Barty will abuse me, but I KNOW that Draco will. This is my thinking here. Please, don't question my choice, just let me live it. I'm sorry." With that, she started to cry softly.

Ron walked over and put an arm around her. "To be honest, that's not the decision I would have made. But I see your reasoning behind it. We're behind you, no matter what you choose, okay?" Hermione sniffled, then hugged Ron tightly. Harry came up next to them and joined the hug. Ginny followed him, and soon enough, the entire group was joined in one big group hug.

As they parted, Hermione asked, "Kingsley, how quickly do things have to go? How soon does the marriage have to be, and so on?"

Kingsley replied, "The wedding has to be within the year. There isn't a rule on the amount of time before you must have children, only that you must eventually have them. As you already know, divorce is not allowed in the wizarding world. Hermione, are you positive?"

Hermione wiped a tear threatening to fall from her eye, then nodded. "It's the only way."

Kingsley blinked in surprise, but recovered quickly. No one seemed to notice his astonishment but Hermione, and she did not show it. Kingsley replied, "Well, then, come with me. No, just Hermione," he clarified, as Harry and Ron began to get up and walk with their friend. "We're heading to Crouch Manor. Miss Granger, it is time to meet your new fiancée."


End file.
